Yet another question about fantasmic seating?

[kwonyong]

I am a little confused about the reserved seating for fantasmic (after reading a number of the threads) and being in Australia it can get expensive to call disneyland to find out. So I thought I would try here first. Are there 2 areas for reserved seating or only 1? I understand that the balcony seating is closed, but I am confused about where the reserved seating is.
Thanks.

 

[avalon451]

There's just the one, riverside seating, on Rivers of America, near the raft entrance for Tom Sawyer Island/Pirate's Lair. It's currently seating for about 65, I understand. You make reservations a month in advance by phone with Disney guest services (714) 781-4400. You pick up your tickets the day of the show at guest services outside the front gates of Disneyland, to the left as you are facing the gates. (most people get them when they are entering the park in the morning, so they don't forget to get them later.) Check in at the podium near the churro cart across from Haunted Mansion. Check in is officially at 7 p.m. for both shows, where one person from your party shows the tickets and chooses your seats, first come first served. (apparently sometimes people start lining up earlier so they can be first to choose seats.) Then you can walk around till 20-30 minutes before your show. When you get there a CM will show you to your seats and get you beverages, soft drinks, water bottles, coffee, hot chocolate. I have heard they come by several times to ask if you want refills. Then you get a box with cookies and chocolate dipped strawberries and stuff like that. You can watch the show, then if you are at the 9 p.m. show you can stay in your seat, turn around and watch the fireworks. They pipe in the music and sound to this area, so you are hearing the same thing as those in the hub, but you can't see the front of the castle so you won't see the projections they do on the castle, like Tinkerbelle, etc. but you'll still see all the fireworks.

I've never been there, but I've been researching it all so exhaustively, I feel like an expert! Hope I've got it mostly right!

 

[disneegrl4eva]

I've never been there, but I've been researching it all so exhaustively, I feel like an expert! Hope I've got it mostly right!

actually avalon...thats dang good for someone who's never been there...kudos the only thing I want to clarify is this...you had submitted a post about pix of the box and I left a comment in regards to time to check in....its post #11...something you should definitely read

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1754709

 

[farmfresh]

That all sounds right...but I see you are (like us) from the other side of the world, so let me tell you if you decide you want to do reserved seating, you need to set your alarm clock and get up at 8am Californian time exactly 30 days out from the day you want to go. This is especailly necessary if you want to go to the 9.30 show during a busy time. Just keep hitting recall until you get through.

There isn't any other way (email etc) and they don't make any allowances for time zones. (oh and don't forget to factor in that Californai is a day behind)..

It's fun so it's worth it , especially if you have kids!

 

[avalon451]

...exactly 30 days out from the day you want to go. This is especailly necessary if you want to go to the 9.30 show during a busy time. Just keep hitting recall until you get through.

There isn't any other way (email etc) and they don't make any allowances for time zones. (oh and don't forget to factor in that Californai is a day behind)..QUOTE]

Actually, I was worried about this because I missed the 30 day window by a couple of days. When I called (exactly at 8 a.m., so I was in the car driving my kids to school!) I found out it wasn't so dire. I was expecting to barely get in for the last night of our trip (when I had really wanted the first night). But it turns out they had openings for both shows on the night I wanted, 27 days out. And that's during the week after Easter, one of the busiest times of year.

Disneegrl, thank you for your advice! I did see your post on the other thread. I will definitely try to be around the check in area between 5-6 p.m. and see if it looks like they might be setting up and taking sign-ins early.

I'm so thankful for all you board people; you've helped me so much!

 

[disneegrl4eva]

...exactly 30 days out from the day you want to go. This is especailly necessary if you want to go to the 9.30 show during a busy time. Just keep hitting recall until you get through.

There isn't any other way (email etc) and they don't make any allowances for time zones. (oh and don't forget to factor in that Californai is a day behind)..

QUOTE]

Actually, I was worried about this because I missed the 30 day window by a couple of days. When I called (exactly at 8 a.m., so I was in the car driving my kids to school!) I found out it wasn't so dire. I was expecting to barely get in for the last night of our trip (when I had really wanted the first night). But it turns out they had openings for both shows on the night I wanted, 27 days out. And that's during the week after Easter, one of the busiest times of year.

its not as big an issue now because they only do riverside...when it was really important was when people wanted balcony seats and they could only fit a handful of people up there so if you wanted to get balcony you HAD to be on the phone at 8am on point because the seating was first come first serve...gosh I remember when they first started balcony seating...you couldnt call you had to go to one of the ticket booths outside the park at like 6am to be one of the first in line to buy tickets for that night...and god help if there was someone in front of you who needed to buy 10 tickets...you were out of luck on that one...boy has the time changed and for the better...I used to sweat bullets and be up at like 3am the day I was wanting to get tickets